textproduct: Amarillo

KEY MESSAGES

Issued at 1257 AM CDT Fri Mar 13 2026

- Warm and drier conditions are expected to keep elevated to critical fire weather conditions clear present into next week. Additionally,record highs could be on the table on certain days, with Saturday being one of those days.

- Increasing potential for strong winds behind the cold front passage Sunday as probabilities of widespread wind gusts over 50 mph is currently medium (50%). Cold wind chills return with that front on Sunday and Sunday night as well.

SHORT TERM

(Today through Saturday night) Issued at 1257 AM CDT Fri Mar 13 2026

A fairly quiet short term as west to northwest flow will continue through Saturday night. Overall conditions will remain warm and dry. Surface low to move across the Panhandles tonight that will result in more light and variable winds. Those will stabilize to be more southerly on Friday afternoon as another weak surface low sets up in eastern NM. Friday night into Saturday that low will track east across the Panhandles resulting in more light and variable winds. Winds on Saturday are still a bit in question as it will all depend on the track and position of the upper level disturbance that will bring the impacts on Sunday. The main focus will be where the position of the lee surface low will setup, which right now looks to be more in northeast CO. Overall, the majority of the overnight period on Saturday night will be mild and fairly dry. So the fire weather threat will likely be elevated overnight if there are any active fires, the RH recovery will be pretty poor before the cold front, and thereafter, you're looking at the high wind threat with the cold front, which will present a threat for any active wildfires. Temperatures on Friday look to be mild in the 70s, then very warm on Saturday in the 80s., and some climate sites could be testing record highs.

Weber

LONG TERM

(Sunday through Thursday) Issued at 1257 AM CDT Fri Mar 13 2026

Sunday a strong cold front with a very strong jet behind it will push through the Panhandle. Guidance has been bumped up a bit from NBM to account for the stronger wind potential, but the straight NBM is still very much supportive of wind highlights, so would not be surprised if much of the Panhandles will be under Advisories or Warnings. Temperatures on Sunday just about everywhere will be at their highest just after midnight as the cold front is expected to enter the OK Panhandle around sunrise. Hourly temperatures have followed a cooling trend through the afternoon, not the typical diurnal trend. Oklahoma Panhandle wind chills will be close to freezing once the front passes, and is not likely to recover for the entire day on Sunday. Winds will start to relax after sunset which by that time almost all areas will have temperatures below freezing. There is currently not a high level of confidence, but there could be some limited moisture accompanying this cold front on Sunday, mainly in the north, and that could result in some light snow, but nothing that should amount to anything more than a light dusting at this time. Lows Sunday night look to be on the cold side with teens to barely breaking 20 in the southeast. Monday will be a cool and dry day as northwest flow kicks in, but the back side of the main cold air system will still linger and that will keep highs in the 50s.

That northwest flow will continue to dominate as a very strong high pressure system builds over the Four Corners and brings in warmer temperatures to hot temperatures. Highs on Tuesday look to be in the 70s, with 80s on Wednesday, and by Thursday possible widespread 90s. Surface winds look to be on the light side, so dry, but right now it doesn't look too breezy, so Fire Weather concerns look minimal.

Weber

AVIATION

(12Z TAFS) Issued at 527 AM CDT Fri Mar 13 2026

VFR conditions are expected through the next 24 hours. Low-level wind shear is ongoing over Amarillo and should continue through around 11 AM (16z). Winds today will gradually turn from the current direction of northwesterly toward easterly then southerly or southwesterly.

AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

TX...None. OK...None.